1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing an animated motion picture by photographically recording a plurality of sequential picture frames comprising a scene of the animated motion picture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are several well known techniques for producing animated motion pictures such as by conventional animation wherein an artist lays out a scene and physically draws each of the sequential frames in the scene to produce what is commonly termed a cartoon or animation when the various sequential frames are projected at a predetermined play back rate. More recently, various techniques for photographically producing animation have been utilized to provide an illusion of movement in three planes of space utilizing, by way of example, a single sequence of animated images. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,646 which utilizes transparent supporting members for supporting two dimensional images from a jig at different positions for photographing where the illusion of movement in depth is generated by varying the distance from the image to the camera lens from frame to frame while maintaining the same relative size of like images from frame to frame. However, this technique initially requires the preparation of drawings representing each of the positions of the image in the sequence or cycle as well as the use of a double exposure for each frame to produce the illusion of movement. Furthermore, this technique is not satisfactory when it is desired to combine real three dimensional objects, such as in promotional advertising, with substantially two dimensional characters, such as cartoon characters, without utilization of a more costly double exposure whose illusory effects may not be as desirable as that producible from a single exposure integrally relating the cartoon character and the real three dimensional object.
In addition, some prior art techniques have utilized superposition of various transparencies to produce the resultant image, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,351,634 or, in an attempt to produce a three dimensional like animation, some prior art techniques have attempted to use multilevel shots to show depth comprising a plurality of transparencies stacked one on top of the other which are then photographically recorded. However, the scene contents or the figures by way of example cannot realistically move from level to level in the multilevel shot to provide a realistic three dimensional animation. Furthermore, once again, such a technique does not lend itself to the combination of real three dimensional objects with two dimensional cartoon objects in a single exposure. Some prior art techniques, such as what is commonly known as stop motion animation, have utilized three dimensional figures which are moved physically through various increments which may be combined with three dimensional packages or other articles to be advertised. However, such techniques do not utilize a projectable scene registration layout and considerable problems of registration occur in adjusting for the several incremental frames being recorded to comprise a scene. Some of these prior art techniques which produce animated motion pictures utilizing puppets by way of example and three dimensional props do, however, mark the registration of objects for each exposure. However, such markings are not projectable so as to project the layout of a complete scene format to provide the animated motion scene comprising a plurality of frames and all the associated incremental movements onto the stage before the photographing of each sequential frame. Prior art techniques which do employ projected grids for use in producing animated motion pictures, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,624, which is the type utilized with coordinating the positions of a puppet with a previously filmed action sequence of a live actor, does not project a complete scene layout registration containing all of the incremental movements necessary for the plurality of frames comprising the scene. What is projected is merely an alignment grid. The utilization or projection of an alignment grid which is merely a series of squares is well known, such as disclosed, in addition, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,358,530; however, such a projection is not satisfactory for facilitating the shooting of an entire animated motion picture scene, particularly if such a scene is to be a realistic three dimensional scene comprising several movable two dimensional characters which are three dimensionally movable in the animated motion picture scene. Other prior art animation techniques which have not proven completely satisfactory because of various limitations in these techniques which prevent efficient utilization in providing three dimensional animation motion pictures are such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,380,298; 2,201,649; 2,327,059; 2,358,530; 3,233,509; 3,256,773 and 3,288,548, in addition to the various patents discussed, by way of example, above. These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention.